Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-01-08

The gravity Of the great horse breeder de-
serted him at her first question He smiled
as he acknowledged that he was " Mr.. Hardy
man, he smiled as he offered her chair.
NO, thank you, sir" she said, with a
| quantity pretty inclination of her head. al
am only sent here to make her ladyship's
apologies. She has put the poor, dear dog
INTO warm bath, and she can't leave him
And Mr.. Moody can't come instead of me. be-
cause was too frightened to be of any use
and so he had to hold the dog. That's all
we are very anxious, sir, to know if the
warm bath is the right thing. Please come
into the room and tell u.s."
She led the way back to the door. Hardy
man, naturally enough, was slow to follow
her. When a man is fascinated by tho charm
OF youth and beauty he is in no hurry to
transfer his attention to sick animal in a
bath. Hardyman seized on the first excuse
that he could devise for keeping Isabel to
himself-that is to say, for keeping her in the
drawing room
u think shall be better able to help you"
he said, if you viii tell me something about
the dog first"
Even his accent in speaking had altered to
a certain degree The quiet, dreary mono.
tone in which he habitually spoke quickened
little under his present excitement As for
Isabel, she was too deeply interested in Tom
mics welfare to suspect that she was being
made the victim of stratagem. She left the
door and returned to Hardyman with eager
eyes " What can tell you, sir ~ she asked
innocently.
HardyInan pressed his advantage without
mercy.
you can tell me what sort of dog he isp,
eyes, SIR"
Show old he isr'
"Yes, SIR"
What his name is?-what his temper is?-
what his illness is9-what disease his father
and mother! -what-"
lsabePs head began to turn giddy. "One
thing at time, sir!' she interposed with n
gesture of entreaty. His name is Tommie.
We are obliged to call him by it. because he
won't answer to AM other than the name he
had when my lady bought him. But we
spell it with an i g at the end, which makes
1t less vulgar than Tommy with ". | am
very sorry, sir, forget what else you want
ed to know. Please to come in here, and my
lady viii tell you everything
She tried to get back to the door of the
boudoir. Hardyman, feasting his eyes on the
pretty, changeful face that looked ND at him
with such innocent confidence in his author
ity, drew her away again from the door by
the one means at his disposal He returned
to his questions about Tommie
"Wait a little, please. What sort of dog
is hep
Isabel turned back again from the door.
To describe Tommie was a labor of love
He is the most beautiful dog in the worldp'
the girl began, with kindling eye. "He has
the most exquisite white curly hair and two
light brown patches on his back, and, oh!
such lovely dark eyes! They call him
Scotch terrier. When he is well his appetite
lis truly notwithstanding comes amiss to
him, sir, from pate de foie gras to potatoes.
He has his enemies, poor dear, though you
wouldn't think it. People who won't put I'D |
with being bitten by him what shocking !
tempers one does meet with, to be sureD call |
him a mOngrel Isn't it a shamel Please |
come in and see him, sir; my lady will be |
tired of waiting
Another joEney to the door followed those |
words checked instantly by serious objec- |
ton.
''Stop minutel You must tell me what
his temper is, or l can do nothing for him." |
Isabel returned once more, feeling that it |
was really serious this time Her gravity |
was even more chmmiAg than her Sayety. |
As she lifted her face 10 him, with large,
solemn eyes, expressive of her sense OF re- |
spOnsibility, Hardyman would have given |
every horse in his stables to have had the |
privilege of taking her IN his arms and kiss
ing her
Tommie has the temper OF an angel with
the people he likes" she said "When he |
bites, it generally means that he objects to |
strangers. He loves my lady, and he loves
Mr.. Moody. and he loves me, and-and l |
think that's all This way, sir, if you please.
am sure heard my lady CALI
No. said Hardyman, in his immovably
obstinate way. Nobody called. About this